A large variety of electrical connectors for connecting electrical wire to terminal studs are known in the art. Many of these connectors have arms which resilient bias portions of contacts against the shank of a terminal stud. For example the following patents generally disclose such connectors: British patent specification No. 198,471 dated June 7, 1923, U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,167,780; 1,201,109; 1,086,820; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,740,703. The present invention is an improved electrical connector which provides for positive mechanical interlocking with a terminal stud, excellent electrical contact and substantial failsafe features in a manner not suggested by the prior art.
The prior art noted above does not anticipate potential problems of molding plastic materials about an insulated wire to form an electrical connector. Often when an electrical wire is to be used as part of an integrally molded connector end, problems arise. These problems are sometimes connected with the fact that the polymeric material of connector to be molded and formed may have a higher molding or formation temperature than can be tolerated by the insulation of the wire. For example when the insulated wire has polyvinyl chloride insulation and the connector end is to be polycarbonate, difficulties are encountered in forming the connector end directly on the wire because of the high molding temperature of the polycarbonate which could damage the polyvinyl chloride.